The Box Plot of Out-of-Pocket (OOP) Expenditure illustrates financial protection challenges in healthcare across regions. European countries exhibit the lowest median OOP expenditure, demonstrating the success of robust financial protection mechanisms such as universal insurance schemes and government-funded systems. Unlike, regions like Africa and South-East Asia that bear higher median OOP expenditures, this may illustrate the financial burden individuals face in accessing healthcare services, often leading to catastrophic health spending. Notably, the Eastern Mediterranean region shows significant variability, with some countries heavily reliant on private funding. These findings highlight the critical need for reforms, particularly in regions with high OOP expenditure, to strengthen social health insurance systems and reduce financial barriers to healthcare.

The Area Plot The chart illustrates the global progress in reducing out-of-pocket health expenditures across WHO regions from 2000 to 2021, a key indicator of financial protection under universal health coverage (UHC). Overall, there is a clear downward trend, reflecting global efforts to reduce financial barriers to healthcare access. However, significant regional disparities remain evident. Africa and the Western Pacific contribute the largest shares to out-of-pocket expenditures, although both show gradual declines, suggesting ongoing but incomplete reforms in health financing. In contrast, regions like Europe have smaller, more stable contributions, indicating stronger financial protection mechanisms. Notable periods of steeper decline, such as between 2005 and 2010, align with global initiatives like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), while slower progress post-2015 coincides with the transition to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite these advancements, the persistence of high out-of-pocket expenditures in certain regions underscores the need for targeted interventions, such as expanding health insurance coverage, increasing government health spending, and improving equity in healthcare access. Achieving UHC will require sustained efforts to address these disparities and ensure financial protection for all populations.

The Scatter Plot of UHC Service Coverage and OOP Expenditure reveals an inverse relationship between the two metrics, where higher service coverage is typically associated with lower OOP expenditure. This trend underscores the importance of financial protection in achieving universal health coverage. European countries cluster prominently in the high-service coverage and low-OOP expenditure zone, reflecting efficient and equitable healthcare systems. In contrast, African countries display lower UHC indices and higher OOP expenditure, revealing systemic gaps in both service provision and financial protection. Interestingly, some outliers in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions demonstrate high UHC service coverage yet substantial OOP expenditure, suggesting areas where financial mechanisms lag behind service delivery. These insights call for a balanced approach to achieving UHC by simultaneously improving service availability and implementing robust financial protection strategies.